Storylines of family medicine I: framing family medicine – history, values and perspectives

Abstract

Storylines of Family Medicineis a 12-part series of thematically linked mini-essays with accompanying illustrations that explore the many dimensions of family medicine, as interpreted by individual family physicians and medical educators in the USA and elsewhere around the world. In ‘I: framing family medicine—history, values, and perspectives’, the authors address the following themes: ‘Notes onStorylines of Family Medicine’, ‘Family medicine—the generalist specialty’, ‘Family medicine’s achievements—aglass half fullassessment’, ‘Family medicine’s next 50 years—toward filling our glasses’, ‘Four enduring truths of family medicine’, ‘Names matter’, ‘Family medicine at its core’ and ‘The ecology of medical care.’ May readers find much food for thought in these essays.